I remember when......

Page 5

This page is devoted entirely to interesting stories
provided by former members of the 33rd Trans Co. or 118th AHC.
It might be safe to say that the stories are true but in some
cases "the names may have been changed to protect the innocent"!!

Everyone
Walks Away!!

Red 3 (63)

(Photo courtesy "Red" Sparling)

Aircraft and auto crashes are usually very disturbing
looking scenes. When the crew and passengers walk away it is not
only very AMAZING, it is a MIRACLE ! That was the situation with
this story related by Harold "Red" Sparling, the Crew
Chief of an almost brand new UH-1B (Red 3) in the 1st Platoon
of the 118th Aviation Company (AML). The registration number of
the aircraft was 62-2042 and it had only been in the unit for
a very short time when the incident happened. Because this incident
occurred so early (apparently in very late 1963) it is not listed
in the Aircraft Histories and Incidents
portion of this web site. Records were not kept until late in
1965 or if kept, have not yet been found.

Red 3 Crew Chief, "Red" Sparling remembers,

" I was
on the helicopter when it went down. With me was the Gunner,
who was from the 25th Inf Div. out of Hawaii, the Pilot and Co-pilot
plus two Vietnamese Advisors. We were coming into a village to
let the Vietnamese off when we started to receive ground fire.
We changed directions and came around, seems like landing with
the wind. We were very fast and the pilot pulled collective but
there was nothing. We slammed into the ground, very hard, and
flipped on the right side. I don't remember the names of the
pilots or gunner or where it happened. We all walked away, although
I hurt my back some. I never applied for anything medical, because
I was 20 years old and invincible!

Evidence of the impact (63)

(Photo courtesy "Red" Sparling)

118th Commander, MAJ David B. Hayes pointing
to ? (63)

(Photo courtesy "Red" Sparling)

Another view of Red 3 rolled on its right
side(63)

(Photo courtesy "Red" Sparling)

Hey, no problem checking the "Jesus--Nut"
this way!!

(Photo courtesy "Red" Sparling)

Note--If you have knowledge of the date when this
incident took place or who the other crew members were contact
the Webmaster .

Exotic Mascots
of the Thunderbirds

Many military units in Vietnam had mascots. Often
it might be a dog(which wouldn't last long in the Vietnamese countryside....food)
or monkey or even a tiger(Soc Trang Tigers). The 118th Thunderbirds
had several and here they are:

"George"

(Photo courtesy Richard H. Stevens)

George is the snake, not the GI. The GI is Richard
H. Stevens and the photo looks like it was taken at Tay Ninh West
when the 118th Thunderbirds moved up there for a month in about
Dec 66. Anyway, George was 1SGT Ermal Sparks' snake which he kept
in the orderly room or very nearby. On Sunday afternoons men from
the US Air Force, and 173rd Abn would gather and place bets on
how many minutes it would take George to eat a small pig or chicken
that SP5 Snyder would throw into the cage!!

"Thunderbird"

1965

The 118th "Thunderbird" Hawk, "Melvin
Bird",

with handler in front of Operations (Early
65).

It is not the same hawk seen below

in 67 and 69

(Photo courtesy Ted Jambon)

"Melvin Bird", the Company mascot
on the gloved

hand of CPT Jack Waters, 1st Plt Cmdr. "Melvin
Bird"

messed up one day and flew through the helicopter

rotor which lopped-off 1/3 of his right wing.

He recovered and was friendly and healthy.
His

flying days were over, however. At first he
didn't

eat, but finally did. One night someone left
the

cage door open (or an ARVN hada meal)overnight

and he was never seen again!(65)

(Photo courtesy Jack Waters)

Louis Palumbo acquired an Ocelot kitten from

somewhere. No word of how long he kept it!(65)

(Photo courtesy Tommy Thornton)

"Smokey", the mascot of the guys
of the

573rd Maint. Det. at the hanger

with PFC Ted Metzner. Not only was he

the mascot, he was a GREAT rat catcher! (66)

(Photo courtesy Bill Langan)

CPT Jim Thorne, Bandit Plt Ldr with

"Thunderbird" hawk (not the same
hawk as

above in 1965 but probably the same one in

1968, below. (67)

(Photo courtesy Jim Thorne)

This bird of prey, a large hawk,

was a mascot of the 118th Thunderbirds

in the 1967-69 time.The bird was in
a

large wire cage sitting outside of Thunderbird
Operations building. No

"Combat" being held by J. D. Badgley.
The other guy is believed to be Mark Overbee. Can you help ID
him??

"Combat" was an offspring of "Bitch"
above.(70)

(Photo couirtesy J. D. Badgley)

Combat went with J. D. Badgley
to the 240th Grayhounds at Bear Cat when the 118th Thunderbirds
stood down and their aircraft were turned over to a VNAF Squadron
at Bien Hoa in March 1971. "Combat" flew with J. D.
everyday. He rode the map case at the end of the radio console.
When hauling ARVN troops, he would just sit there staring and
snarling at them til they were out of the A/C. When J. D.
got his DEROS date, He started the process to bring "Combat"
home with him, but with all the red tape & quarantine days,
he ran out of time. However, another of the Greyhounds continued
the process and finally got him back to California.

Puppy Eaten by Employee!!

J. D. Badgley with an unnamed puppy.

According to J. D., this poor little black
& white puppy was stolen and eaten by one of the Vietnamese

civilians that worked on base. "My hooch
maid told me, but would never point out which one.

Probably because she new what I would have
done to them."(70)

(Photo courtesy J. D. Badgley)

A small hawk that was adopted as a Thunderbird
mascot in 1970. Apparently the hawk

had flown through the rotor and was injured
and saved by some crewmembers.(70)

(Photo courtesy Duane Speirs)

"Bitch"

The Beloved Bitch! She was a mascot for many
years around the Thunderbird barracks. She obviously had several
litter of pups, too. (71)

(Photo courtesy Michael Breaux)

Michael Breaux "lounging" with
his favorite Bitch just outside the Thunderbird barracks. (71)

Rocket Damage

In December 1968, Lee Beavers, who flew with the
3rd Platoon Bandits, was out on a mission one day and experienced
a strange turn of events. Following a rocket pass, suddenly there
was no audio in his helmet ear phones and his controls were ineffective.
What had happened was a rocket had apparently detonated not far
in front of the aircraft and they flew into some the shrapnel
pieces. He remembers, "There was an identical hole on the
other side of the aircraft where pieces came out. The shrapnel
on its way through the aircraft below the floor had cut my controls
plus a lot of wires for the radios and intercom." Hey Charlie
is supposed to be the one damaged, not our own aircraft.

Thank goodness the shrapnel had not cut BOTH sets
of push pull tubes for the controls and the other pilot was able
fly the aircraft back to Bien Hoa for repairs.

Camp Alpha

(Repo-Depot)

In the beginning of the Vietnam conflict and war,
the city of Saigon was the main point of entry for most US military
personnel. In those early years the numbers were quite small and
Tan Son Nhut Airport and the nearby replacement facility, called
Camp Alpha, was sufficient to handle the incoming and outgoing
military personnel plus lucky R & R people. Somewhere around
the 1965-66 time period the military build-up began to accelerate
and additional sites in Vietnam were established. Bien Hoa, Cam
Ranh Bay, Quin Nhon, and Da Nang were established as sites for
incoming and outgoing military personnel. Thousands of replacements
a week arrived to replace the thousands of rotating personnel
from the many US Army and Marines Divisions and units as well
as US Airforce bases.

1965

Camp Alpha in mid-1965 with nice sidewalks
and grass. Note no sandbags, but double bunks with

mosquito netting. Warren George in photo on
right. This was obviously the dry season!

(Photos courtesy Warren George)

No one seems to know why the replacement camp(Repo-depot)
at Saigon was called Camp Alpha. Initially, and for several years
from about 1962 to 1964 it was nothing but a city of GP Medium
wall tents neatly arranged with sidewalks and narrow streets.
Waist high sand bags surrounded the tents and the sides were usually
rolled up for ventilation. Mosquito netting was mandatory for
each cot significantly limiting air flow. Plus, trenches were
dug around the perimeter of each tent to handle the monsoon rains
as it cascaded off the slopping tent roof. The place smelled strongly
and often stunk to new arrivals. While many thought it was a rude
introduction to Vietnam, to many it would be the best accommodations
they would see for a year.

1965

Main Street of Camp Alpha with latrines on
right.

Must have been dry season!

(Photo courtesy Warren George)

Sometime in early 1965, the GP Medium wall tents
were replaced with wood framed sheet metal buildings which sported
cement floors and much nicer latrines and showers. There was screen
on the outside of the slatted walls to deflect the monsoon rains.
Now, the mosquito netting for each bunk was not needed, but was
usually still there. Things were looking much better by August
1966, but still better accommodations were to come.

1966

Obviously during the monsoon season!! We see
the tin roofed

frame buildings with screens and ditches for
runoff water.

Aug 1966.

(Photo courtesy Tom Payne)

1967

Camp Alpha in dry season(67)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Probably about 1969, the tin roofed and wood framed
and screened buildings were slowly replaced by "beautiful"
cement block buildings all painted white. Many had air-conditioners
for luxurious comfort in the tropical heat and humidity. The entire
grounds of Camp Alpha was paved eliminating the need for trenches.
Quickly the water was gone as the rains flowed underground in
storm sewers and ditches. Wow, this was a comfortable major improvement.

Most everyone remembers Camp Alpha as their first
memory of coming into Vietnam and often going on R & R. Many
remember the seemingly endless hours waiting and dozing on the
cots only to be brought to reality by the load speaker announcing
names to come to the office. Or time was spent just sitting and
visiting with other "New be's". And, if an "old
guy" would talk, there would be a ring of guys sitting around,
listening to his war stories. Everyone longed for the day when
they would be going back to the "World"! However, not
many seem to remember much about Camp Alpha when going home. For
some reason minds were several days ahead to arriving home and
it just didn't matter anymore how you lived....because you would
soon be gone.

1969

Camp Alpha, in the foreground, showing single
story and two story permanent barracks buildings.

The large open area in the middle of the photo
is "Hotel-3" the main heliport for Tan Son Nhut Airport.

The large asymmetrical roofed building to
the right center is the maintenance hanger of the 56th

Aircraft
Nicknames

Unit Commanders usually hold the key to allowing
their unit's aircraft to be painted with nicknames. The practice
seemed to come and go, depending on commanders or "Chain
of Command." Since WWI, aircraft and weapons of war(tanks,
artillery pieces or trucks) have been given favorite names. These
names often signified love, fondness or respect for loved ones
or cultural icons back home. In the case of bombs and rockets
names of hate or disdain were printed or painted on the device.
What we are concerned with is this study is the name or logo on
the outside of the helicopter door or nose. The practice of nicknames
ultimately personalizes war and adds a depth of emotion which
can tremendously add to the unit or individual's moral!

Standardized unit logos were painted on all of a
unit's aircraft as a means of identifying the unit (ie. Thunderbird,
Rattler, Top Tiger, Hornet, or Tomahawk)from a distance. After
1965, the practice of painting a standard geometric design on
the tail boom of the aircraft clearly showed what Battalion and
Company the aircraft belonged to. The 145th CAB used the white
diamond with a smaller colored diamond in the middle. In the case
of the 118th Thunderbirds, the small diamond was red. The 11th
CAB used an elongated vertical white rectangle with a colored
vertical strip down the middle. (Note, see Ralph Young's great
book, "Army Aviation in Vietnam," Vol I and II for photos
of unit and tail boom geometric designs.)

Helicopter units in Vietnam were often allowed to
have nose art and nicknames painted on aircraft doors. This is
what we want to examine. If you have photos of 33rd Trans/118th
Thunderbird aircraft during your tour that would illustrate the
unique aspects of this art, consider sending them for adding to
this page. If you have a photo of your aircraft with its nickname
painted on it, send it to the Webmaster.

"The ARCH ANGEL" a UH-1D model

belonging to the 2nd Platoon.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Warren George beside "Tinker-Toy"
a UH-1D

obviously in the 2nd Flt. Plt of Thunderbirds.

It is unclear if the name was selected by
the Crew

Chief or the Aircraft Commander assigned to

the aircraft. (65)

(Photo courtesy Warren George)

"Tootsie Roll", again from the 2nd
Flt. Plt.

The kids were always around when flying missions

for theIII Corps Senior Advisor to
remote

villages throughout III Corps.(65)

(Photo courtesy Warren George)

"Arleen's Clown" graces this 2nd
Platoon

aircraft. CE SP5 William R. "Bill"
Stewart

stands beside his UH-1D with HF (SSB)

radio antenna on the tail boom.(65)

(Photo courtesy Warren George)

Bandit 4 readyto depart from the Bandit

area of the "Bird Cage" with its
name

plainly painted as "EXECUTIONER"

Aircraft names often were not

light-hearted and cute! (66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Bandit 6 , aka "PACIFICATION", sitting
on

pad in the Bandit area at

Bien Hoa Airbase(67)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

CWO Jim Campbell and CWO Mike Erwin standing
beside

Bandit called "El Devastor". AC
was WO Donaldson,

CE SP4 Little and Gunner PFC Crawford.

Pouches around their neck are SOI's that

had to be checked out daily from Operations.(67)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

J. D. "Dan" Badgley in front of
"The Assassin" a Bandit gunship.(70-71)

Psychological
Warfare

(PsyOp or PsyWar)

2nd Platoon "Chopper" UH-1B with
special PsyWar l

loudspeaker system on right side of the aircraft.(64)

(Photo courtesy Harold "Chip" Austin)

PsyOp and PsyWar techniques in Vietnam were launched
by the government of the Republic of Vietnam to try and convince
the Viet Cong and NVA to give up their guerrilla existence and
accept safe passage from a path of insurgency. Involvement for
the U.S. Army helicopter companies, was primarily by the broadcasting
of loudspeaker recordings and the distribution of printed leaflets.
By 1965, when the UH-1D aircraft replaced the UH-1B's, the mission
seemed to cease for the 118th Thunderbirds and move to fixed wing
aircraft controlled out of the office of the III Corps Senior
Advisor.

1st Plt "Scorpion" UH-1B set up
with loudspeaker

on left side(64)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

Another part of the PsyWar story was the use of
Chieu Hoi leaflets. Chieu Hoi is translated as "Open Arm"
and was a main element in a Safe Passage campaign by the South
Vietnamese government. Seen below is a copy of several Chieu Hoi
leaflets courtesy of Ron Childress and Richard Little who saved
one and brought them back to the US. Normally this leaflet was
dropped from several hundred feet by the same aircraft that was
broadcasting with the loudspeakers. However, often they would
climb to a higher altitude and throw out the leaflets to cover
a larger area.

(Chieu Hoi leaflet courtesy Ron Childress)

Chieu Hoi leaflets dropped to the Viet Cong.(66)

(Leaflets courtesy Richard Little)

(Two leaflets above courtesy Willis Long)

There were many, many leaflets printed for use in
Vietnam. Some of them were more threatening and brutal than this
one. A very interesting web site is available on the internet
called "Psychological Operations." To see more examples
of leaflets used in Vietnam, click their crest below.

Thunderbird
"Victory Dance"

Since the beginning of warfare, warriors have celebrated
victory with some type of display of emotion and pride following
a battle or confrontation where they defeated their enemy. Early
on, the celebration took the form of a dance,camp fire or feast
which told others of the victory and expressed personal pride
in a great accomplishment. Fighter pilots and bomber pilots of
past instituted the mini-air show which included wing wagging,
zooming the tower or overhead approaches to landing. The 118th
Thunderbirds were no different.

Sometime during the earliest years of the 33rd Trans.
Co/118th Avn. Co. (AML), probably about 1963, someone within the
Thunderbirds came up with the tradition of making the final approach
to landing at the "Bird Cage" at Bien Hoa Air Base a
high overhead approach from trail formation. From the ground,
it was a grand maneuver to observe, especially for a bunch of
helicopters. For the pilot or crew member new to the unit, is
was an exhilarating experience. All newbe's or FNG's to the Thunderbirds
remember the event with fondness.

The 3rd flight platoon, Bandits, added a personal
touch to the over head approach. They tied smoke grenades to the
skids on each side of the aircraft and pulled the pins as the
formation came over Cong Ly street on approach to the Bird Cage.
Red colored smoke, signifying blood and thus "kills"
by the Bandits. It was a grand sight and added great drama and
emotion to the maneuver. Anyone remembering the origins of the
Victory Dance formation and overhead approach and exactly how
and when it began and how long it continued with the Thunderbirds
is asked to write the Webmaster
with the details.

"Victory Dance" formation of Thunderbirds

(red smoke) approaching Cong Ly Street and

Bien Hoa for landing at Bird Cage.(64)

(Photo Harold "Chip" Austin)

Another view a few seconds later in-bound
to

Bird Cage for overhead approach.(64)

(Photo courtesy Harold "Chip" Austin)

Bandits coming over Bien Hoa for the Bird
Cage

and an high over-head break to landing. The

tradition was still alive even in late 67.

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

The formation flight approached directly
over the

"Bird Cage" at 500', indicated
in trail formation. As soon as

the lead aircraft was over center of "Bird
Cage"

they made left break and

circled around to land. (66)

(Photo courtesy Charles Milan)

Second aircraft flying beside lead aircraft
after he made left break.(66)